Spring-wheel.



E. A. STARE.

SPRING WHEEL,

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18, 1909.

Patented July 13, 1915.

iz'en'. of the United vunrriaut) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIAS A. STARE-OF WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN.

SPRING-WHEEL.

Toallinhom) it may concern:

-Be it known that-I 'ELI s A. STARE, a cittates, and resident of W'auke'sha, in the county of Waukesha and :State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- Wheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

I The object of this invention is to provide a simple, durable and effective spring-wheel, the construction and arrangement being such that the required resiliency is maintained as well as lateral rigidity, the springspokes being readily replaced when necessar The invention therefore consists in various details of construction and combination of parts to be fully set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.'

In the drawings Figure 1 represents an elevation of a portion of a spring-wheel embodying the features of my invention, with parts broken away and parts in section for clearness in illustrating certain details, and Fig. 2, a transverse section of the wheel as indicated by line 2-2 in Fig. 1. 1

Referring by numerals to the drawings 1 indicates a metallic rim provided with peripheral flanges 2 that forma seat for a tread 3, which tread is preferably composed of rubber, leather or some analogous material. The inner face of the rim is also pro.- vided. with flanges 4 whereby an annular countersunk face is formed, to which face are secured the ends of a series of semi-circular leaf springsjo, which constitute spokemembers. The outer ends of the springs are secured to the rim 1 by means of bolts 6, the spring ends being arranged to abut cros ribs 7, which ribs connect the inwardly e tended flanges 4. By this construction t strain upon the bolts 6 is relieved. The in fi ner ends of the spring spokes are seated upon" tangentially disposed faces 8 of a hub-ring 9' the spring ends being held in position upon said faces by means of integral teats,- which teats engage recesses in the ring-faces 8. The hub-ring 9f is secured to a hub: sleeve 9 by means of a key 10 seated in the ring and hub-sleeve, the ring and hub-sleeve together constituting a hub. The ring por tion 9 of thehub is provided with vertically disposed flanges 11, which flanges together With the tangential faces 8 form seats adapt ed to receive the inner ends of the spring- Patented July 13, 1915.

Application filed October 18, 1909. Serial No. 523,114. v

spokes 5. The inner ends of the spokes are secured to the faces 8 by means of bolts 12,

which bolts pass through radialapertures in the hub-ring 9 and corresponding apertures in said spring-spokes. The heads of the bolts 12 are seated in an annular groove 13 formed within the inner face of the ring,

the bolts and spring-spokes being secured by means of suitable lock-nuts which engage the outer ends of the latter and serve to draw the aforesaid ends of the spring spokes securely upon the faces 8 of the ring, as shown. By this construction the ring and bolts are first assembled, being thereafter fitted upon the hub-sleeve 9 and keyed in the manner described and when the hubmembers are thus assembled the springspokes may be readily connected and disconnected by manipulating the lock-nuts, whereby economy in the manufacture is obtained, while, at the same time, the retaining bolts are securely held and sealed, being thereby protected from mud and weather conditions. Furthermore, when the hub is completely assembled it produces a neat appearance not attainable when the spoke-retaining bolts are exposed. As shown the fastened ends of the semi-circular springs extend tangentially from both the hub and the rim. By this construction abrupt bends or curvatures in the springs at their secured ends is avoided and thereby the life of said springs is materially increased, due to elimination of the possibility of crystallization at these points. By connecting the end of the spring to be hub flange at the farthest point from the, rim connection, it will also be ob-- served that a full semi-circular spring can be utilized of maximum diameter whereby greater} resiliency and life is added to the spring members.

In the section of spring-wheel shown, provision is. made for applying a series of twelve spokes to the wheel, but this number may be reduced or increased in proportion to theiload required to be sustained, and the torsional strength of the spokes may be also varied in proportion to the load by varying the thickness of said spokes.

The Wheel as shown is designed to be forwardly rotated in the direction as indicated by the arrow, and thus when the vehicle is given asudden start, there will be a limited winding action between the wheel rim and hub, which action would tend to slightly I ing from adead stop,

contract the spring spokes and thusrelieve first cost of production and also in repairing. In the latter case a spoke can readily be detached by loosening the clip and bolt 11 without dismounting the wheel and a new spring-spoke substituted therefor.

I claim; a

A wheel-hub comprising a hub-sleeve having a circular outer face provided with a projecting flange at one end, a circular spoke-receiving hub-member having a bore provided with an annular groove and which fit on said sleeve against the flange thereof, means by which the two hub elements aforesaid are detachably conhas groove-closlng nected to rotate as one, tangential spokeseating faces arranged about the outer surface of the sleeve-fitting hub-member and each provided with a seat for thvengagement of a spoke-projection, said hub-memher being provided with radial apertures between its groove and faces; and spokeretaining bolts extending through said apertures, the heads of the bolts being angular and having anti-turning fit in the hub-member groove.

In testimony have hereunto set my han (1. ELIAS A. STARE.

Witnesses:

G120. W. LowRY, MAY DowNEY.

that I claim the foregoing if v 

